17-year-old has starring role as Cork City beat Bray Wanderers

Cathal O'Sullivan of Cork City. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity First Division: Cork City 2 Bray Wanderers 0

In honour of one of their own’s monumental achievement across the pond recently, Cork City decided to let those named Cillian Murphy into Turner’s Cross for free on Friday night.

The man himself wasn’t in attendance to avail of the special, one-time offer but had he been he surely would have been impressed by the starring role Cathal O’Sullivan played in City’s 2-0 win against Bray Wanderers.

O’Sullivan, who only turned 17 at the beginning of the month, can’t hog the spotlight entirely though as he was backed by a strong supporting cast.

Nominees for the man of the match award include fellow goal-scorer Sean Murray and returning hero Greg Bolger, who was making his first start back at the Cross since he rejoined the club in the off-season.

City boss Tim Clancy named an unchanged side from the one that defeated Longford Town 2-0 on the road last weekend, and it proved to be an inspired decision.

The Rebel Army raced out of the traps, and they almost took the lead in just the third minute, but Sean Murray could only slice wide of the target after Nathan Wood’s cross broke to him inside the penalty area.

Murray would make amends in the seventh minute though as he fired the First Division leaders – they are now three points clear of Munster rivals Treaty United, who take on Longford Town on Saturday – in front with a close-range finish.

Bray defender Cole Omorehiomwan failed to clear his lines in the box and after John O’Donovan’s powerful, low drive was parried by former City goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran, Murray was on hand to tap home from a few yards out.

‘Champions again ole, ole’ chanted the Shed, clearly confident that more awards will be heading to Cork at the end of the season.

They were soon lauding their prized young star as O’Sullivan doubled their advantage on the quarter of an hour mark with a sensational strike.

Bolger’s long pass over top released the pacy attacker, who composed himself before bursting away from his marker and blasting the ball past the keeper from a tight angle in a flash for his first goal for City.

The hosts controlled the remainder of the first half content with their lead, although Bray’s Max Murphy threatened to half the deficit before the break, but his effort deflected just wide.

Wanderers, who were dealt a blow when Shane Griffin suffered an injury in the warm-up and had to be replaced by Guillermo Almirall, upped the tempo in the second period as they looked to set up a Hollywood ending.

They almost made it 2-1 in the 68th minute but Brad Wade did well to palm the ball around his post following a goalmouth scramble as City, in front of 2,923 supporters, did enough to make it four wins out of five.

And the First Division title will surely go to… 

CORK CITY: Wade; Nevin, Coleman, Lyons, O’Donovan; Bolger, McLaughlin (Brookwell 70); O’Sullivan, Murray (Crowe 84), Wood (Umeh 79); Doherty.

BRAY WANDERERS: Corcoran; Omorehiomwan (Kizenga 84), Cantwell (Cruise 76), Murphy; Murphy, Groome, Turley, Osam (Nolan 76); Almirall (McGlone 76), Thompson, Grogan (Morgan 60).

Referee: Mark Houlihan.